Be careful what you post on social networking sites, as it could come back to haunt you, researchers say

Shopping
site Retrevo learned that around 32 percent of people who post on a
social networking site regret they shared information so openly.
Users who post criticism about workplaces, co-workers, friends,
political views, and other controversial topics often don’t
consider the possible severity of these posts.

The
report focuses
on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and other social networking sites
popular among internet users. Specifically, smartphone users
are the most likely to suffer from the so-called "poster's
regret," as 54 percent of those polled noted they posted
something they later regretted.

Age also plays an important
factor into overall poster regret, with 54% of people under the age
of 25 saying something they wish they didn't post -- including news
updates, photos, videos, and other information. Just 27% of
people over the age of 25 years old are likely to post information
they should keep to themselves.

Although many people under the
age of 25 may regret posting something, the actual real world impact
of these posts remains unclear. About 40% of those people who
posted something were able to remove it without any long standing
damage, along with 31% noting that their posts "didn't cause any
problems."

This new report from Retrevo isn't too
surprising, especially considering how easily
it is for people to spy on friends, co-workers, dates, and
others. Middle schools, high schools, and universities across
the country are now warning students against posting too much
personal information – reminding them that colleges, employers, and
others are patrolling social networking sites.